Street Lights
by hayhaymellark
Summary: Katniss is walking to Peeta's after work when she's attacked. She needs a hero to come and save her...will he get there in time? (So bad at summaries) Rated T for violence and attempted rape.


**A/N: Hey, guys, so I know I'm not done with my other story yet, but I thought of this and had to write it down.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, it all belongs to Suzanne Collins.**

I walked along the sidewalk, my bag slung over my shoulder. I was heading for my boyfriend Peeta's house and was still a couple of blocks away.

I checked the time on my phone, the bright light blinding me as it contrasted to the dark night. 9:28. I had just gotten off work and peeta and I wanted to spend some time together. We hadn't had much time with him working at the bakery and me switching shifts at the office.

I walked along, staring at the circles of light created on the cement beneath my feet by the street lights that were spaced evenly.

Suddenly, I tripped over a raised piece of concrete and heard the echoing sound of my staggering footsteps, trying to regain my balance. As I steadied myself, I became aware that I was no longer alone on the street.

I heard the footsteps of the newcomer, big and clunky, I tracked the sound to a man across the street. He walked with his hands in his pockets, probably going home just like me.

My thoughts wandered yet again to what had happened at work today as I rounded a corner, still a ways out from Peeta's house. I kept thinking about anything and everything, but was brought out of it by the same sound of footprints.

This time, though, he was closer. Some time in the last five minutes he had crossed the street and was now walking behind me.

Now I was getting worried. He was still pretty far behind me, but he had followed me. He looked like a big guy and if he was after me, it wouldn't take him very much effort to take me down. I couldn't put up much of a fight.

I looked back again and decided that he was far enough away from me that if I called someone, he wouldn't hear me. I went to my contacts and found Peeta, hitting the call button.

After three rings, he picked up. " _Hey, Kat, are you coming ov-"_

"Peeta I think someone's following me." I whispered frantically into the receiver.

" _What?"_ He asked, alarmed. " _Where are you?"_

"I'm coming over to your house, but I'm still a couple blocks away. I'm walking on Capitol street, Peeta, I'm scared." I whimpered.

" _I know, baby, I'm gonna meet you halfway, okay? It's going to be okay."_ Peeta tried to soothe.

"Okay," I said quietly, "please hurry, Peeta."

" _I will, babe. I'm going to keep you on the line, alright?"_

I was about to respond when I felt two hands grab me and jerk me backwards, sending my phone tumbling to the ground. I scream in alarm and look back at my offender. A man in his late thirties, with bulging muscles and a creepy smile on his face.

This was not good.

"Where you goin', sweetheart?" He crooned. "You should come back to my place, I could show you a real good time."

I almost vomited. "Um, no, no thanks I have to get back to my boyfriend." I told him, hoping that it would ward him off. It was futile.

He grasped my upper arm and I tried to pull away, but he only gripped it harder causing me to cry out in pain, his fingernails digging into my bicep. His other hand clasped my breast and I jerked back in an attempt to get away, when I couldn't, I let out a scream.

The man slapped me across my face. "Shut up!" He shouted. He released my arm only to shove me backward. I stumbled and fell, feeling a painful twist as I landed awkwardly on my ankle.

I tried to scream again, but he slapped a hand over my mouth and dragged me backward into a section between two apartment buildings. I could feel the skin on the back of my thighs, unprotected by my skirt that had ridden up, being torn open by sharp pebbles. Tears of pain leaked out of my eyes as I cried, unable to get any sound through the hand of my assailant.

I looked up to find myself in an alley, how original. I really hoped Peeta would show up soon because this could only be going in one direction.

The man viciously tore open the top buttons of my blouse as I struggled, crying and screaming, hoping that someone would hear me.

"Shut up!" He shouted at me. As I tried to roll away from him, he grabbed my shoulders and lifted my upper body off the floor, before slamming me down again. My forehead made contact with the asphalt and sobbed in pain, my head spinning.

It was going to happen soon, he was going to take advantage of me, I knew I only had maybe one more chance to save myself. I screamed as loud as I could, he temporarily silenced me with a slap, but I started up again, determined to get someone to hear me. I screamed until he kneed me in the windpipe. I gasped for air before dying off into sobs and crying.

This was it. Or I thought so, until I heard footsteps. The footsteps were quick, they were running, towards me. Help, finally.

The man was yanked off of me and I curled into a fetal position, hiding my face from the world. I heard the sounds of a fight and then silence. I stayed in my position, terrified of what would happen next.

I felt someone touch my shoulder and I bolted up, screaming. I fought against them, releasing earsplitting shrieks. I was hysterical.

That is, until they grabbed my face and spoke to me.

"Katniss, Kat, Baby, it's me." I opened my eyes that had been clenched shut at the sound of a familiar voice. "Baby, it's Peeta."

I looked into his crystalline eyes and broke. I sobbed as he held me and made soft shushing noises. I looked up and saw that the man was gone. I panicked.

"He-he-where'd he go-he's gonna get me!" I started hyperventilating.

"Ssh, ssh, no, baby, he's gone, he ran off. No one's gonna get you, I promise. Ssh…" Peeta soothed.

Peeta picked me up and carried me back to his house. It must have been quite the feat. I was pretty light, but that was still a long way to walk while carrying me.

I had finally calmed down a bit, still crying, but softly now. I felt safer. Knew I was safer because Peeta had come to save me.

* * *

When Katniss had called me I was terrified. And then I heard her drop the phone and went into full on panic-mode. I'd sprinted to where she told me she was, but couldn't find her.

Until I heard her screams.

I'd run in the direction of the screams, my heart breaking at the sheer terror embedded in the sound, but also motivating me to find her faster.

And then I'd found her with the man on top of her and I'd seen red. I ripped him off of her and roughed him up before he'd slinked off into the night. When i'd touched her she'd been terrified of me, scared because of what she'd just endured. She cried and that was so heart-wrenching for me to watch because she'd always been so strong.

After I carried her back to my house, I set her down on my bed and went to retrieve the first aid kit. I'd seen her head which had a gash on it, but there might have been other injuries, too.

I entered the room to find her still lying in a ball on the bed. I touched her arm lightly and she jolted, before relaxing upon seeing that it was me.

"Kat, I have to clean up your cuts." I motioned to her head. I dabbed that with an alcohol wipe as she whimpered in pain. I bandaged it because it was pretty small and moved on. "Are there any others?"

She nodded, leaning to the side as she showed me a cut along the back of her thigh. Next to it were smaller cuts and punctures. She'd probably been dragged by the sleazebag.

I cleaned those up too and asked about anything else. To my distress, she nodded again and showed me her ankle which was swollen and bruised-a bad sprain, my brother was a doctor and had taught me how to probe the area for a break, thankfully there were none.

Katniss also showed me a large bruise on her stomach, where she said he'd kneed her when she screamed. I felt sick.

I brought her up to the head of the bed, where I propped her up on the pillows and stuck one under her ankle before giving her ice for both her ankle and stomach.

She looked at me as I took care of her. When I was about to walk away to get some water from the kitchen, she grabbed my wrist.

"I was so scared." Katniss whispered and my heart broke. "But then you came and you saved me. Thank you, Peeta. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't come. I was so scared."

"I'll never let anything happen to you, Katniss." I vowed to her.

"Stay with me? Please. I can't be alone tonight, not after that." She pleaded.

"Always." I responded with conviction.

"I love you, Peeta." She said, her eyes drooping.

"I love you, too, Katniss, so much."


End file.
